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2018 Sancerre Rouge “Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel ChotardRed might not be the first color that comes to mind when one thinks of Sancerre, but that may well change as we see more spectacular, terroir-driven rouges from the region. The Chotards are some of the lucky few who have parcels that are ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and theirs have been planted to Pinot for well over fifty years, so the vines are at full maturity. From this south-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone terroir, the family makes a serious wine—dark, juicy, and delicious, ready to drink now after a long élevage on its lees of nearly two years in old wood. A glimpse of great things to come.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Pinot Noir |
Appellation: | Sancerre |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Daniel Chotard |
Winemaker: | Daniel Chotard |
Vineyard: | 55 years average, 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone, Kimmeridgian marl |
Aging: | Ages both in stainless steel and barriques (2%) – barrels come from the Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy after 1, 2, and 3 years of use |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Sancerre Rouge
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Chotard has crafted a delicious, complex, and elegant rouge that gives many village Burgundies a run for their money.
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
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Simon refers to Hameau de Reigny as a “nature” wine. The result is textured and tropical-fruited, yet not so much a departure from the region’s typicity, as rather, a riff on it.
2022 Sancerre
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An intense exotic nose lures you in before the minerality channels the lightning energy of this pure Sauvignon Blanc.
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
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Welcome to depth, complexity, understatement, finesse.
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
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May Bianco ~ A fleshy, full-bodied Sancerre with great freshness and the ability to age in bottle for a few years after release.
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
France | Loire
The Chotards are some of the lucky few who have Sancerre parcels that are ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and theirs have been planted to Pinot for well over fifty years, so the vines are at full maturity.
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
France | Loire
Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
France | Loire
Simply gorgeous, the Cris is sublimely perfumed, generous on the palate, and long and saline on the elegant finish.
About The Producer
Daniel Chotard
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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2021 Sancerre “Racines”
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2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
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2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
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2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
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2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
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2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
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2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.